NBC, the first of the broadcast networks to unveil a new schedule to advertisers this week, canceled "Crossing Jordan" and the high-profile failure "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Another critical favorite that hasn't found a big audience, "Friday Night Lights," was renewed.

So, football with weak ratings, yes; crunchy Aaron Sorkin dialog with weak ratings, no.
No word yet on whether the final episodes, shot this past winter and spring, will ever see the light of day. You'd think they'd let us at least see 'em, maybe over the summer or something, but probably not.
But what's this we hear about Amy Brennigan (of "Judging Amy" fame) returning to TeeVee in a "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff??

May 11, 2007

This was one of the funniest things I've seen on the TeeVee in a long time. I don't generally watch the Colbert Report in its entirety... I can really only take so much of Steve Colbert, funny and pointed as his commentary is. But when I heard that Jane Fonda was going to be on his show, I fast forwarded (TiVo, of course) to the interview portion and was not disappointed.

Of course, Colbert was also set to assume his faux-wingnut posture with Fonda, but this time, the guest was totally on to him and complete disarmed the host. After the requisite hand-shake greeting across the table, Fonda got out of seat, walked behind the table... and planted herself in Colbert's lap, kissed him deeply on the lips, and then stayed in his lap for the entire six minutes of the interview.

Colbert was completely rattled, and it took about four minutes before he realized that Fonda was NOT going to get out of his lap, and another minute before he finally settles into whatever decorum he could muster for the occasion. Watch it hall here, clip courtesy Comedy Central.com

Damn, those movie stars know how to kiss. It's enough to make a feller wish he had his own talk show.

And, of course, Fonda snuck in the best commentary of the evening: Colbert asked her a question about war protesting. As she
continues to straddle him and kiss his face, she finally responds, "We
cannot elect men to office that are afraid of premature evacuation."

May 08, 2007

When last we visited the subject, Aaron Sorkin was on his way back to Los Angeles to resume work on his NBC program, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I had hoped maybe the network would put the show on its summer schedule, to see if it could round up a loyal audience while competing against reruns. Alas, it appears it is not to be:

No 'Studio 60' reprieve
Fans hoping for a reprieve for NBC's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" are out of luck.
Although the network won't officially cancel the series until May 14 when it announces its new fall schedule, the sets are being dismantled on the show's Warner Bros. soundstage as you read this. Shows don't come back from that.

Perhaps this will give Aaron more time to focus on his next big project: the anticipated (but not confirmed) NYC production of The Farnsworth Invention.